Haggerty’s NHL Power Rankings: All-Star Edition

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Haggerty's NHL Power Rankings: All-Star Edition

With the natural stop to the regular season for the NHL All-Star break, it’s a natural time to gather information, evaluate and project what’s going to happen over the second half of the season. It’s pretty clear watching Alex Ovechkin skip the All-Star Game that his focus – and that of his team – is squarely on the prize that has eluded him throughout his career with the Capitals, and that Jonathan Toews is taking some rest seriously as his Captain Serious moniker would clearly indicate.

Both players will serve out the one-game suspension from the NHL that comes along with skipping the All-Star weekend. Ovechkin, in particular, will obviously be missed for his skill, his flash and charisma. It’s a shame that two of the faces of the NHL are pulling out of an event meant to promote the league, and hockey, but this seems to be the wave of the future. Consider that the entire Patriots contingent pulled out of the Pro Bowl this week, as well.

Both the Capitals and the Blackhawks are sitting in the 1-2 positions in the power rankings this week and have put their teams in place for a strong playoff run with a little more than one-third of the season remaining when the regular season convenes next week.

16. Minnesota Wild (23-17-9, LW: 12)

17. New Jersey Devils (25-20-5, LW: 14)

14 goals and 36 points in 50 games for Lee Stempniak this season is good stuff for one of the good guys. It’s amazing to think nobody else jumped on Stempniak when he was a free agent looking for a gig at the end of the summer.

25. Calgary Flames (21-24-3, LW: 25)

26. Winnipeg Jets (22-24-3, LW: 26)

The Jets finished 3-5-1 headed into the break, but dropped five goals on the Coyotes in that final game. Good for them, I guess. There is plenty for them to worry about with Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien contracts on the front burner now that the playoffs seem out of the question.